Love Game
by BubblyShell22
Summary: They were supposed to be enemies, but ever since their first encounter, Hamato Leonardo and Oroku Karai have always felt something more. Now they question all they have been taught and wonder if a relationship is real or if it's a fantasy.
1. Chapter 1

Love Game

Chapter 1: Father's Footsteps

A/N: Wow. These plot bunnies just keep on coming. Just when I think I've had enough bunnies, another one crops up. I haven't done a Leo/Karai story yet, and this bunny has been in my head for a long time. The bunny went away for a while, but now it's bitten me again, and I have to take care of it before I go nuts. I really hope you enjoy this story and give it a chance.

Disclaimer: TMNT is property of Nickelodeon Studios. I own none of the characters associated with this fic. I only own the plot of the story.

Summary: They were supposed to be enemies, but ever since their first encounter, Hamato Leonardo and Oroku Karai have felt something more. Now they question all they have been taught and all they know about each other to see if their feelings are real or just a fantasy.

Seven-year-old Oroku Karai went through the kata once again. Sometimes it was hard for her to get a kata right, and her father always told her that she had to continue to do the kata until she got it right. Doing things correctly was something her father valued. Karai loved him dearly and wanted to always impress him and make him proud. Every time he praised her, she felt her heart swell with pride. Ever since she could remember, no one had ever praised her for anything. Her parents had abandoned her at a young age, and on the streets people just passed her by. They yelled at her when she stole food and chased her away when she tried to seek shelter. She had never known love until Oroku Saki discovered her and took her in.

Now she had everything she ever wanted, and she loved it. Her father gave her proper food and shelter as well as all the toys a girl could ever want. He read her stories at bedtime and tried to spend time with her even though he was often busy. She never really knew what he did, though he told her he ran businesses and helped people out. She also noticed the men who were dressed in black and who did katas just as she did. When she asked her father about them, he told her that they were training to be ninja just like she was. Karai didn't know what a ninja was, but she knew it had to be something extra special.

"Very good Karai," her father's voice said from the entrance of the dojo. She was surprised to see him there. Had he been there the whole time?

"Thank you, Father," she replied. She bowed to him in respect just as he had taught her.

"Now do you see why it is important to do the kata correctly?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, I do, Father," she answered. "It is important to do things correctly so that you do not fail."

"Correct," her father praised her. "I am very proud of you, Karai. You will make a great warrior someday."

"Why am I being trained to be a warrior, Father?" The question had been bothering her for days, and she decided that now was the best time to ask it.

Saki smiled gently at her. "You are being trained to be a warrior in order to defend yourself, Karai," he responded. "Out there in the world there are people who often think they are bigger and better than others. These people seek to attack those who are weaker than they are. You must learn to defend yourself against them so that you can fight them and prove your worth."

"But why would they attack me?" Karai asked him. Her green eyes were filled with confusion.

"Because they will attack anyone who stands in their way," her father told her. "Do you remember the people who attacked you after you were abandoned? Do you remember how they treated you even though you needed help and care?"

Karai nodded. She wasn't likely going to forget those days in a hurry. Her scowl deepened as she recalled how horrible things had been for her then. "Yes, I remember," she said. "They were horrible."

"Yes, and there are people like that everywhere," explained her father. "You must learn to defend yourself from them. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father, I do," she replied. "I will do my best to defend myself against these people."

"Good," Saki responded, giving her a pat on the head. "You are dismissed. I will call you when dinner is ready."

Karai bowed to him and then hurried out of the dojo to her room. As she played with her dolls, she couldn't help but wonder about what her father had said to her. She knew that people could often be cruel, but they weren't all like that, were they? Her father was the kindest man around. He'd been kind enough to take her in when she was all alone and had given her a good home. Yet, he was wise as well and knew the ways of the world just as she did. He knew that there were cruel people out there who could hurt her and attack her family. She vowed to learn ninjitsu and protect herself and her father from anyone who dared to be cruel to either of them. She would not let anything happen to him.

22222

Oroku Saki sat at his desk, filling out business papers. But as he tried to concentrate on the document before him, his mind drifted to his daughter. She didn't know the real reason he was training her to be a warrior because she was too young to understand. She didn't know about his enemies, the Utroms, and how he sought revenge for how they captured him. His real motive for training his daughter was that so he could find the Utroms and hunt them down. Karai would lead the Foot in his absence and would do well based on how she performed now. Yes, she did make mistakes, but she was quick to remedy them. She was far better than any of his other recruits who constantly fumbled when it came to missions.

There was a knock on his door, and he gave the person permission to enter. Two of his soldiers came in fear written on their faces.

"Master, you told us to come to you when we had news," one of them said.

"Yes, I did," Saki replied. "What have you found out?"

"There are no signs of the Utroms in Japan," the first man responded. "We have searched everywhere and cannot find them."

Saki was enraged, though he did not show it before the men. "Very well," he said. "Then that means that they are elsewhere and have not stayed in Japan. We must find their location at any cost. You have been most helpful. Thank you." He motioned to two of his Elite guards, who were standing in their respective corners. Both of them grabbed the two men and led them out of Saki's office to another room. The last thing Saki heard were their screams as the Elite guards finished them off.

Saki sighed. Failure could not be tolerated when it came to the Utroms, and he would make sure that anyone who failed him would pay. It made him think of his daughter and what would happen if she ever failed him. Would he be able to dispose of her the way he had those two men? Saki shook his head, ridding himself of that thought. His daughter would never fail him. She was too skilled and knew all too well that failure wouldn't be tolerated. He didn't need to fear that from her. She would make a fine warrior and would do what was expected of her. There was no doubt about that. Saki dropped his eyes back to the document and continued to read. Business had to go on no matter what. There was no time to dwell on the past.

22222

Seven-year-old Hamato Leonardo worked through the kata, trying to get it right. Practice hadn't gone well today, and Leo knew that he'd messed up a move Splinter had taught them two days ago. Why couldn't he get it right? He continued to do the move until he felt it was perfect. He had to show Father and tell him how he got it right.

"Leo, why are you still doin' that move?" his brother Raphael asked him. "Practice is over."

"I got the move wrong, Raph," replied Leo. "I have to do it right. Maybe if you did this, you could be just as good as me."

Raph's eyes narrowed in anger. "I am as good as you," he retorted. "Maybe even better than you. You're just suckin' up to Splinter by stayin' here and tryin' to perfect that move, Leo."

"I am not!" Leo protested. Raph just didn't understand. Leo was the oldest, and he had to do well to please Splinter. Splinter was training all of them to be ninja to defend themselves against the outside world. If he didn't know how to do the moves correctly, he could never protect himself and his brothers from harm.

"You are too!" Raph countered.

"My sons, what is the meaning of this?" Splinter demanded.

"Leo's still doin' the kata even though practice is over," Raph replied. He hoped that maybe Splinter would yell at Leo for continuing to practice and maybe Leo would get in trouble. That would make Raph feel better, and it would teach Leo not to suck up to Splinter so much.

Splinter looked at his oldest son. "Why are you still here, Leonardo?" he asked.

"Because I got the move wrong, and I wanted to get it right," Leo replied. "I finally mastered it, Sensei." He showed his father how he'd mastered the move and looked up in expectation of his father's praise.

"Very good, Leonardo," Splinter said. "I am glad you mastered that move. However, you do not have to stay and practice it after practice has ended. You must remember that your body needs rest and that is cannot get that rest if you strain the muscles. If you do not master a move right away, give yourself time to rest and then try again. Do you understand?"

Leo nodded. "Yes, Father," he said.

"Good," Splinter responded. "You may go join your brothers now."

Leo nodded again and bowed to his father. He waited until his father returned the bow before heading off to join Mikey and Donnie, who were building blocks. Raph was disappointed that Leo didn't get yelled at, but he knew that Splinter must have had a reason for not yelling at Leo like that. Still, it wasn't fair. Leo was no better than any of them, yet he was still treated like the favorite. The red-clad Turtle decided to banish these thoughts for now and joined his brothers in their play.

22222

Splinter retired to his chambers after talking to Leonardo. He felt bad about the fact that Leonardo felt pressured to do well, and Splinter was worried about the years to come. He had already decided to make Leonardo the leader of the clan when they became older because he could see that his oldest son had great leadership skills. But even his sons didn't know why he was really training them in ninjitsu. His greatest hope was that they would be able to avenge Master Yoshi's death and get rid of the one who murdered him. Was it right for him to do this to his sons? What would they think when they found out the truth?

Splinter shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. They wouldn't know the truth for a long time yet. They were still young enough not to be burdened with the weight of Splinter's past. But Splinter feared the day that they would be burdened with that weight. He was especially worried for Leonardo. As the leader, he would be responsible for leading his brothers and protecting them from harm. Would he be ready to do so? Would he be able to take on such a burden? The rat remembered how Leonardo looked in the dojo and how he strived to get that kata right. Yes, he decided, his son would be ready for anything. He already had the makings of a great warrior and leader. Nothing would be too difficult for him to accomplish.

But Splinter would soon be proven wrong and would wonder in later years if he'd done the right thing for his son by shouldering that much responsibility on him. He would struggle with this conflict for a long time and watch as his son continued to bear burdens that were essentially not his to bear. And in the end, Splinter would carry a great weight of guilt for putting his son through all of it. No one should have to suffer like that, and Splinter knew that Leonardo would suffer greatly. And because of that, Splinter would also suffer the immense guilt and wonder if he had been a good parent for his sons.

A/N: And so the first chapter is finished. What did you think? Please feel free to leave a review after you have finished reading. And if you're wondering about their ages, I often thought Karai was at least in her twenties when Leo was fifteen, so I'm going to estimate that she's at least twenty years old. That makes Leo two when Karai had the talk with her father and makes Karai to be twelve when Leo talked to Splinter. Have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Interesting

A/N: Hey, I figured it would be a good idea to get an update in since I have the idea for it. Thanks for those who have read and reviewed thus far on this story. Your support means a lot to me. Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Leonardo sat in his room in meditation. He was relieved the war was over and that he wouldn't have to interfere again. That had been a big mess, and while he knew he shouldn't have taken part in it, he had to do something. He didn't want innocent lives to get hurt because of it. But that wasn't what was on his mind right now. What he was thinking about was Karai and how she just seemed different. Yes, she was Shredder's daughter, but there was something about her that made her seem like she wasn't like Saki. She valued honor and had even lifted the vendetta against Leo and his family. Saki wouldn't have done that at all. He would've tried to destroy them at any cost. But why was Karai so different?

There was a knock on his door, and Raphael said, "Hey, Leo, dinner's ready."

Leo snapped out of his meditation immediately. "Coming!" he called. He exited his room and walked downstairs with Raph. They'd made up their fight earlier, and Leo was relieved about that. He hated fighting with his brother about things. Most of the time, it was a regular occurrence though and couldn't be prevented no matter how Leo tried to do so. He knew it all stemmed from the fact that Splinter had chosen him, Leo, to be the leader while Raph was second in command. Things had gotten better between them after Leo had been attacked by Shredder's army, and Raph had vowed to be a lot nicer to Leo. Perhaps it was the fact that Leo had almost died from his injuries, or maybe Raph had just seen that there was no point in being jealous anymore. Whatever the reason, they'd had a better relationship for a little while until the war broke out. After that, Raph argued that it wasn't their fight no matter how much Leo felt that it was.

But after they arrived home, Raph apologized to Leo and said that he didn't want to fight anymore. Leo had been taken aback because Raph usually never apologized for a fight. They usually just went on as if nothing had happened. Leo had accepted his brother's apology and had said nothing else about it.

"So, what were you doin' in there?" Raph asked him.

"Meditating," Leo answered.

"About what?"

"Karai," Leo replied. "I just think she's different than her father." He had told Splinter everything since their encounter with Karai and asked for his father's opinion. The rat had replied that they had to keep an eye on her just in case. Leo didn't really like that answer, but he knew he couldn't blame his father for feeling this way. After all, Shredder had killed his Master Yoshi. He didn't want Shredder's daughter to kill his sons, too.

"There's somethin' about her I don't like," Raph declared. "I don't think we can trust her, Leo. She works for Shredder."

"Yes, but she lifted the vendetta against us," Leo reminded him. "Shredder wouldn't do that."

"It could be a trick," Raph insisted. "Look, Leo, I know you want her to be good, but you gotta be careful. Remember how Shredder almost tricked you into joinin' him? Don't fall for the same trap like you did before."

Leo grew offended at that. "Raph, I'm not going to join the Foot," he protested. "I'm loyal to my clan."

"I know that, Leo, I'm just sayin' that I don't want you to get hurt." Despite the fact that they often butted heads, Raph really cared for his brother, and he was trying to get his point across any way he could.

Leo put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "I won't," he said softly. "I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so, Leo," Raph told him. "I really hope so."

Dinner was a noisy affair as Mikey kept trying to talk about the events of the day. He kept talking about the war and how he was glad it was over. "And what about that Karai chick?" he asked them. "What do you think's up with her?"

"I think she's just trying to be honorable," Leo replied. "After all, she lifted the vendetta against us. Do you really think that if she were like Shredder she would do that?"

"Maybe she did that because she really doesn't know about us," Donatello mused. "It might be a way for her to see what we're all about. Once she finds out more, she may try and target us."

"I'm with Don here," Raph agreed. "Like I told Leo earlier, it could be a trick."

"I just don't think that's it," Leo insisted. "She kept her word about the vendetta. She's different from her father. I just know it."

"Leonardo, I know you want to believe that she is different from Saki, but as I told you before, we must proceed with caution," Splinter said to his son. "Saki could have poisoned her mind with his teachings, and if he did, then she could be a formidable foe for us."

Leo knew better than to argue with his father, so he just said, "Yes, Master Splinter." However, he didn't want to let go of the hope that Karai was different from her father. He felt that Karai could lead the Foot and make them more honorable than her father had. Maybe this was a step in the right direction. He certainly hoped that when he met Karai again they could be friends and not enemies. He just wanted this vicious cycle to end, and maybe it would.

22222

Karai sat in her chambers, trying to meditate on the events of the day. She couldn't stop thinking of Leonardo and his brothers and how unique they really were. She could tell there was more to them than anyone could see, and she really wanted to get to know them. That's why her father's request was such a shock to her. How could she kill them? She had promised that she would spare their lives. Was her father so cruel as to have her renege on a promise she made to the Turtles?

A knock on her door caused her to snap out of her meditation. When asked to enter, one of her father's servants entered the room. "Mistress Karai, your father wishes to see you," he said.

"Of course," Karai replied. She wasn't anxious to see her father now. She was too angry at him for what he wanted her to do. She left her room and made her way to the chambers where her father was recovering in his container. He looked better than he had before, and she could see that he really wanted to discuss something with her.

"You wanted to see me, Father?" Karai asked.

"Yes, I have given some thought about what you said," Saki replied.

Karai's eyes lit up. "You mean, you will not destroy the Turtles?" she asked.

Saki laughed at his daughter's naivete. "Of course, I will destroy them," he said. "They have been thorns in my side for the last time. No, what I thought about was that you could pretend to befriend them and lead them into a trap. It will be easier for me to destroy them."

Karai was not happy about this plan at all. She didn't want to trick them, but she knew better than to argue with her father. "Do you wish me to befriend all of them, or just one?" she asked him.

"Just one will do," he replied. "And I think Leonardo would be a good choice. He is very gullible and far too trusting. He will not want to believe that you are like me. Talk to him and pretend that you are different. He will catch onto it right away and continue to follow you."

"And what will I do then, Father?" Karai asked.

"You will let the charade continue until I feel it is the right time to strike," Saki responded. "It will be the perfect plan, and I will be rid of the Turtles and their rat master once and for all. Remember, Karai, failure is not an option. Make sure that you do your part."

Karai didn't want this. She didn't want to deceive Leonardo like this. She thought he was different and very honorable. Why did her father hate them so much? What had they done to him to deserve this? She knew better than to ask her father, but maybe she could ask Leonardo about it. He would likely let her know what had happened to make her father this way.

"Karai, do you understand me?" Saki questioned.

Karai bowed to him. "Yes, Father," she said. "I will do as you request."

"Good," Saki said. "You are dismissed."

Karai left her father, emotions swirling through her. This wasn't the right thing to do. She was better than this. Her father wanted her to be dishonorable when he had always taught her that honor was important. But, regrettably, his idea of honor and her idea of honor was not the same. She was just going to have to go through with it as long as she could. Maybe she could stop her father from hurting the Turtles. They didn't deserve this fate, and she was going to make sure that they didn't suffer for a crime they didn't commit.

A/N: Before you guys become confused, I want to clarify that this won't follow the exact canon from the 2K3 series. This is basically going to be my own universe and my own take on this whole conundrum that Leo and Karai have to deal with. Feel free to leave a review after you have finished reading. Have a shelltastic day.


End file.
